Jane Edwards
Airbus Group and Siemens have forged an alliance to further develop hybrid electric propulsion systems in an effort to reduce passenger aircraft’s noise and fuel consumption.
The companies have established a team of approximately 200 employees to develop hybrid propulsion platforms and conduct technical demonstrations of such systems by 2020, Airbus said Thursday.
“Electric and electric-hybrid flight represent some of the biggest industrial challenges of our time, aiming at zero-emissions aviation,†said Tom Enders, CEO of Airbus Group.
Enders added that the partnership will work to facilitate the development of a hybrid propulsion system designed for use in passenger planes with fewer than 100 seats by 2030.
Joe Kaeser, president and CEO of Siemens, said the company’s collaboration with Airbus will be part of its Innovation AG unit that aims to identify investment and business opportunities through partnerships with other companies and startups.
Airbus plans to produce components of hybrid propulsion systems at its facility in Ottobrunn, Germany.
